It is known in the art of lock making and fitting, to provide electronic locks which include a first module which is attachable to an outside of an enclosure to be locked, and a second module which is attachable to an inside of the enclosure to be locked. In the case of electronic locks, it is necessary for electronic communication between the two modules to be possible, to enable locking and unlocking of the lock. Providing a locking mechanism as part of the second module, i.e. which is positioned inside the enclosure protects the locking mechanism from intentional or accidental damage. There are two primary methods of electronically connecting the two modules of such a lock. The first involves one or more electrical cables or ‘flying leads’ to be connected between the first module and the second module. Such a cable is passed through an aperture in the enclosure to be locked, so as to be able to be electrically connected to both the first module and the second module. Connection between such a cable and each of the two modules is usually by way of a proprietary plug and connector, one of which is attached to the cable, and the other of which is attached to one of the modules. A disadvantage of this method of connection is that the connection can be difficult to achieve, owing to the need to pass the cable through an aperture in the enclosure to be locked before it can be connected to at least one of the modules. During this process, the two modules need to be supported, as they are typically attached to the respective part of the enclosure after the connection between the modules, via, the cable, has been completed. A further disadvantage of this method is that such a cable is prone to damage which may be caused, for example, by contact with the edge of the enclosure, or movement of adjacent mechanical elements of the enclosure, for example hinges.
The second primary method of connection is to use a so-called pin header and strip socket. In this method, one of the modules is provided with a rigid connector known in the art as a pin header. The other of the two modules is provided with a strip socket. Each of the pin header and the strip socket is directly attached, for example by soldering, to one of the two modules. A disadvantage of this method of connection is that the connector is not tolerant of significant variation in panel thicknesses between different enclosures. An additional problem, where a connector is required for use with an enclosure having relatively thick panels, is that the pin head is required to have relatively long pins, to permit electrical connection with the strip socket. Such long pins are prone to damage, for example during the assembly process.
Furthermore, some enclosure panels have an established pattern of apertures which are used for fixing the locking mechanism, and for access for connecting parts of the mechanism. A large proportion of lockers in the US, for example lockers in changing rooms and schools, adhere to a particular established pattern of apertures which enable mechanical locking of the locker, for example by means of a combination lock, and or a cylinder or tumbler lock, in which a central part or parts of the lock is/are required to rotate. The adoption of this pattern is substantially universal amongst lockers provided in the US.
It is undesirable to have to modify an enclosure panel, for example by providing more apertures, or by enlarging one or more of the apertures, to replace the lock, for example to provide an improved lock.